Chippy Chat August 2023

Please Sir can we have Moreo!

A FISH and chip shop in Bearsden is serving an unusual dish - deep-fried Oreos with a side of chocolate sauce

The sweet treat is being sold at Hook and Catch, Milngavie Road. Food reviewers ‘Glasgowgannets’ featured the unique offering in one of their recent TikTok videos, which has racked up nearly 9000 views.

WE HAVE SUPPLIED INBUILT SUPERPAD SYSTEMS (TRIPLE FILTRATION) FOR FACTORY FITTING TO:

MARTYN EDWARDS FRANK FORD

KIREMKO (KFE)

HENRY NUTTALL SCOTRANGE

EDEN RANGE

WE HAVE ALSO RETRO-FITTED BASKET FILTRATION AND SUPER PAD UNITS TO SHOP INSTALLED RANGES. PLEASE CALL FOR ADVICE ON YOUR RANGE

Speaking about the deep-fried Oreos, one of the reviewers said: “I’ve not had these since I lived in America and if you’ve never tried them before, honestly, they’re so good.

“They come with this chocolate dipping sauce that reminds me of the sort of sauce that you’d get with like hot doughnuts at a fair.

“The perfect sweet treat to finish off the meal.”

A buttermilk chicken burger, ginger beer fish tacos, and katsu-loaded chips with curry sauce, cheese and onions also feature on the menu.

What are you frying in your shop and how are you promoting it with social network sites? Email austen@ chippychat.co.uk

WINNER!

Austen Dack Publishing Editor

Oil Painting!

I can’t believe it is August already. It is time for many fish and chip shops to be very busy, as the schools break up and we all prepare for their summer holidays once again!

This month we focus on some of the fine frying mediums for you to choose from, plus filtration systems too. Our front-page partner is Oil Chef. They are giving shops the chance to save over 50% on their oil costs with a revolutionary new system!

There are only now a few weeks to go to our famous open day held at our Isle of Ely Produce farm HQ. With over 100 expected once again it is going to be a busy day, as we host some great speakers and predict the potato prices for the year ahead

Let us know if you would like to attend and/or exhibit please

Email me at: austen@chippychat.co.uk

Visit our website at: www.chippychat.co.uk

Chippy Chat Ltd Oak Lane

Littleport Ely

Cambridgeshire

CB6 1RS

www.chippy-chat.co.uk info@chippychat.co.uk

Twitter @Chippychat

Facebook Chippy-Chat

TEL 01353 658216

FAX 01353 863 444

Managing Director John Boutwood

Publisher

Oliver Boutwood oliver@chippychat.co.uk

Publishing Editor

Austen Dack

austen@chippychat.co.uk

07863123929

Design/Editorial

Accounts

Claire Boutwood-Potter accounts@chippychat.co.uk

Advertising Sales and Promotions austen@chippychat.co.uk

For PR and Editorial editorial@chippychat.co.uk

Close but no hoorah!

of London, before going into business for myself and buying a derelict Little Chef in the remote highland village of Tyndrum where I set up The Real Food Café in 2005, now a hugely busy and award winning road side diner with Fish & Chips at the heart of its menu.

By Sarah Heward Co-Owner Real Food Cafe

It was great to bump into John and Grainne Laverty from Fish City Glasgow in the crowd. They won a coveted Catey in 2022 and John was a 2023 judge. Our table was made up of our ‘home’ team and some of our campaign sponsors and potential future sponsors including Goldensheaf batter, T Quality Food service and McWhinney’s Sausages.

The £500 a ticket event was attended by 1000 guests and catered for by 100 chefs from The Grosvenor House in partnership with The Ritz. The banqueting was phenomenal and absolutely faultless, which was just as well as it was the hospitality industry showcasing the hospitality industry!

My entire career has been in hospitality, working my way up to Managing Director of Corney & Barrow Wine Bars in the City

I live and breathe hospitality and love being part of the Fish & Chip trade, so was very proud to be on the short list for The Best Marketing Campaign 2023 for our Gluten Free Fortnight.

Gluten Free Fortnight is a campaign The Real Food Cafe launched in 2019 on the back of our long-standing commitment to gluten free foodservice and our growing sales and reputation for gluten free fish & chips.

We have been an A grade Accredited Caterer with Coeliac UK for the past eight years. This year we will turnover in excess of £100K on GF Fish & Chips alone and remember, Coeliacs do not come without bringing their friends & families.

Using all conventional metrics, the GFF campaign was hugely successful and so we re-ran it in 2021 and again in 2022. In 2022 we were approached and asked if we would collaborate with our local regional food network, a community interest company, supported and funded by Scotland Food & Drink with the aim

On 4th July I travelled to London on a whistle-stop trip to The Grosvenor House, Park Lane for the dazzling finals of The Caterer’s, Catey Awards. The ‘Cateys’ as they are referred to, are the Oscars of the hospitality industry and winning one is on my Bucket List of career achievements!

The Catey’s 2023

of widening out the campaign within our region and sharing our experience with other businesses to promote and grow food tourism, and we happily agreed. Over the years, GFF has attracted a small and exclusive selection of GFF sponsors including Goldensheaf batter mixes and more recently T Quality foodservice.

- Participating GFF 2023 businesses benefited from:

- Subsidised Coeliac UK training for staff and an online industry GF Foodservice skills and processes workshop

- Inclusion in the campaign social media marketing and advertising plan.

- Consumer market research and prize draw, GF cookery demonstrations and a consumer focus group.

- Free GF sample products and tee shirts.

Participating business had to agree to a ‘contract’, i.e, conditions of participation, including training at least 50% of their staff using the Coeliac UK online module and putting on a special GF menu item or menu for the duration of the promotion. Having returned from London empty handed, we are busy preparing for the next Gluten Free Fortnight which will run from 14-29 October and for then increasing it to two slots next year in the Spring and Autumn of 2024.

The application process for a Catey is 4000 words plus supporting documents, and there’s no free tickets for the finals unlike the lucky finalists for The Fish & Chip Awards who get two free tickets, so it’s a big undertaking in terms of time and money.

Will we have another crack at it? It’s on my bucket list, so yes I expect so, when the time is right!

In the meantime, we have our sights set on one or two more of the categories at The National Fish & Chip Awards, these are the awards that we have found have by far and away the best name recognition with the public and also our Gluten Free Fortnight in October 2023.

As the proud winner of the 2023 National Fish & Chip Field to Frier Award, I have been asked to speak at the Isle of Ely Produce Day in September and if there’s appetite for it, I would be delighted to do a short talk on the benefits, undertakings and expected results of Gluten Free Fortnight. www.therealfoodcafe.com

Diary Dates

Business or pleasure, dates not to be missed...

September 4th - 8th

Zero Waste Week

#ZeroWasteWeek is an award-winning, grassroots annual awareness campaign that takes place online and on-theground. www.zerowasteweek.co.uk

September 10th

Isle of Ely/Chippy Chat Open Day

Join us on the farm for a day of networking and discovering all things potato! Free tickets contact austen@chippychat.co.uk

October 16th – 22nd

UK Coffee Week

The nation’s biggest celebration of coffee that helps change lives in coffee growing communities

December 2nd

English Breakfast Day

You can get involved on the day by enjoying our beloved national dish and sharing the experience on social media using the official English Breakfast Day hashtag #EnglishBreakfastDay.

December 10th

The Chippy Chat Ball

The Chippy Chat Ball is booked in, fingers crossed, pandemics allowing we will be back this year.

October 10th – 11th

Restaurant & Takeaway Innovation Expo

From restaurant solutions, finance, food waste and delivery to sustainability and mobile payments, the Restaurant & Takeaway Innovation Expo brings the whole restaurant industry together, making it the event to be! www.takeawayexpo.co.uk

HILL CREST!

Middleton Foods launches The Peter Hill Award in memory of late CEO

Middleton Foods is very proud to announce the launch of The Peter Hill Award, in memory of its late CEO, Peter Hill, who passed away at the beginning of the year. With a money-can’t-buy set of prizes worth over £10,000, the Award reflects Peter’s passion for the fish and chip industry and will nurture new talent in a sector he loved so much.

Well-known in the bakery and foodservice industries, it was the fish and chip industry that stole Peter’s heart. He adored the trade and worked in it for most of his life. He loved seeing new people come into the industry and placed huge importance on raising standards and seeing the trade represented well. The Award is a true legacy to Peter and a special way for Middleton Foods to keep his memory alive.

Speaking about The Peter Hill Award, Ryan Baker, Sales Manager, Middleton Foods says:

“It’s a real privilege to announce the launch of The Peter Hill Award, which is dedicated to the memory of our great friend, Peter. With his incredible personality, wicked sense of humour, commitment and support of both the catering and fish and chip industries, Peter was a huge presence and known by so many. He loved the fish and chip industry, and the industry loved him. We wanted to create something unique in Peter’s memory. Something which reflects everything Peter thought of the industry he loved so much. He was incredibly knowledgeable and influential, keen to support and help anyone he could; so it was important these qualities shaped our tribute to him. The Peter Hill Award recognises newcomers to the industry, encourages new talent, promotes quality and excellence and allows us to give something back to the trade. Peter is missed tremendously and we, his Middleton Foods

family, believe The Peter Hill Award is a fitting tribute and perfect way for us to honour him. We know Peter would love it, and we know – with a gin in hand – he’d wish everyone the best of luck!”

The Peter Hill Award welcomes entries from anyone new to the fish and chip trade, until 30th September 2023. Full details on how to enter, judges and the all-important prize, can be found here – https://middletonfoods. com/the-peter-hill-award/.

Middleton Foods, the UK’s leading manufacturer of foodservice pre-mixes, is a family owned and operated business, proudly manufacturing food products in the heart of the UK using modern machinery combined with the latest manufacturing techniques.

Austen Dack Chippy Chat Publishing Editor said: “Peter was there for me when I first entered the industry ten years ago. He gave me some brilliant advice, always with a smile on his face too. This new award is perfect as it recognises new entrants whilst keeping Peter’s name and great reputation very much alive.”

For further information please call Middleton Foods on +44 (0)1902 608122 or visit www.middletonfoods.com.

Gregg uses Nortech’s Superior across his shops

From the modest potato chip to the finest fish fillet, it’s all about what you fry it in. For the tastiest results why not try Superior, the most respected, refined and deodorised beef dripping in the business. It’s naturally low in Tran’s fats, non-hydrogenated and delivers the high performance with the greatest economy enhancing the taste of your fish and chips.

We spoke to Gregg Howard who uses Nortech across all of his shops. Gregg and his family and partners own several shops, including Our Plaice Hagley, and ‘The Chip Sheds’ at Warwick, Bourton on the Water, Cheltenham, Minchinhampton and coming soon Stratford Upon Avon.

Gregg how long have you been frying for? Over 36 years (I know I don’t look old enough). We’re passionate about fish and chips and we really love what we do. Our aim is simple - to provide the best tasting, authentic British Fish and Chips.

How long have you been using Nortech Superior?

We have always used them!

Why Beef dripping for your shops? We believe is helps produce the perfect and best tasting traditional fish and chips.

What is it about Nortech that you like in particular?

We are a third-generation family business and quality is paramount to us and our business’. Nortech offer us a quality and consistent product giving us the taste we

are looking for. We have, over many years built up a good working relationship with Nortech. Together we understand the importance of choosing the right frying medium for our businesses and an understanding of what our customers want. Along with the knowledge of how to maintain the product by filtering on a daily basis & using best practice with regards to cooking temperatures. Many operatives underestimate the importance this procedure has to your business in creating the perfect tasting fish and chips.

Have your new Chip Shed branded shops gone for Nortech too and why?

Only the best for The Chip Sheds, why change something that is not broken. Our customers come from far and wide and return to us for the great tasting food we offer. We have won many awards over the years and our passion has always been to serve quality, traditional tasting fish and chips to the nation. So, there was no question when it came to our choice in Nortech’s Superior products for the Chip Shed. We are looking forward to opening our newest Chip Shed in Stratford Upon Avon.

Nortech Foods. New technologies behind traditional tastes. For your nearest stockist...

100%

Natural

for 100%

British Beef Dripping

Traditional Flavour

From the modest potato chip to the finest fish fillet it’s all about what you fry it in. For the tastiest results go Superior, the most respected, refined and deodorised beef dripping in the business.

It’s naturally low in Tran’s fats, non-hydrogenated and delivers the high performance with the greatest economy enhancing the taste of your fried food.

Nortech Foods. New technologies behind traditional tastes.

For your nearest stockist call 01302 390880

Frymax is Committed to and Supports Sustainability.

SUSTAINABILITY

For several years Frymax has been made only from fully segregated certified sustainable palm fruit oil. This means that both palm oil and palm kernel oil are produced by palm oil plantations which have been independently audited and certified. The certification is provided by the official body, RSPO which has developed a set of environmental and social criteria member companies must comply with. Fundamental to this, is that no primary forests which contain significant concentrations of biodiversity, fragile ecosystems, or areas which are vital in meeting basic or cultural needs, can be cleared. This seeks to eradicate the threat of unsustainable palm oil plantations which damage both the regional and global environment and that of indigenous wildlife. Both Olenex and ADM, manufacturers of Frymax, support the global sustainability movement and RSPO. They also have an additional supply chain policy which requires Frymax palm oil producers to respect the core sustainability principles of, no deforestation of high carbon stock forests, no development on peatland and no exploitation of communities.

PROJECT MARIPOSA

Frymax sources some of its palm oil from Latin American countries and has undertaken to support producers by providing them with the tools and expertise to produce fully sustainable palm oil. The vehicle to do this is through a new initiative called Mariposa.

Mariposa is about enabling growers to manage their palm trees sustainably.

The aim is to support families with the means to develop, improve and maintain their sustainable production practices.

In the past three years Olenex has undertaken three very successful Smallholder programmes to support sustainability.

Frymax carries the Mariposa logo on its packaging and it is hoped and expected that Mariposa will get increased exposure over time. Says Andrew Marriott, Brand and Marketing Manager of Frymax “We are determined to promote sustainability in any way we can and support those who produce the oils for our product. Our involvement in Project Mariposa demonstrates our commitment to achieve these aims.”

The Fr yers’ Favourite For Over 60 Years.

IT’S TIME TO FRY!

IS YOUR MISSION TO FRY THE BEST?

Then choose a Secret Agent that’s always ahead of the pack. The highly classified Q Frying Oils & Fats Team deliver Choice, Performance & Quality. From high performance vegetable & sustainable palm oils, to full flavour, longer life deodorised dripping. Meet the Elite! Our Team of Special Frying Agents...

THE P TEAM (PALM).

Q PLATINUM – Power & Performance.

SKILLS: A high quality blend of two all-veg frying oils for a longer life. Resistant to breakdown during use. No trans fats. 12.5kg.

MISSION: Looking for an all-veg oil that resists breakdown in a busy environment? Choose Q Platinum.

Q SILVER – Extreme Quality for Extreme Temperature.

SKILLS: A high quality blend of 3 all-veg frying oils for a longer life. No trans fats. 12.5kg.

MISSION: Looking for a vegetable oil that compares with dripping on taste and gives a longer frying life? Choose Q Silver.

Q GOLD – The Natural Choice.

SKILLS: Naturally coloured, premium Palm with no hydrogenated fats. RSPO certifiably sustainable. Easy to handle 2 x 5kg.

MISSION: Looking for a naturally coloured quality palm that’s fully sustainable? Choose Q Gold.

Q PALM – The Premium Palm.

SKILLS: Low in trans fat, no hydrogenated fat – RSPO certifiably sustainable. 12.5kg.

MISSION: Looking for a straightforward palm oil that’s sustainable? Choose Q Palm.

WANT TO FIND OUT MORE?

THE D TEAM (DRIPPING).

Q 10.8 – Longer Frying Life.

SKILLS: Refined & deodorised quality beef dripping from Europe. Easy to handle 4 x 2.5kg.

MISSION: Looking for a consistently good dripping with an extended frying life? Choose Q 10.8.

Q BRONZE – Improved Frying Performance.

SKILLS: Refined & deodorised high standard beef dripping from Germany. Includes antioxidants to resist oil breakdown. 12.5kg.

MISSION: Looking for a long-lasting dripping without the frying odour? Choose Q Bronze.

Q TORENO – Premier Jus for Premier Results.

SKILLS: Refined & deodorised Irish Premier Jus dripping. Made only from harder caul & kidney fat (no soft body fat) to withstand higher frying temperatures. 2 x 5kg (12.5kg in Scotland).

MISSION: Looking for long lasting, finest quality Irish dripping? Choose Q Toreno.

QXL – Frying Excellence.

SKILLS: Refined & deodorised premium grade beef dripping from Europe. Easy to handle 4 x 5kg.

MISSION: Looking for a reliable dripping that produces traditional tasting fried food? Choose Q XL.

Q PLUS – Long Lasting.

SKILLS: Semi-solid blend of Palm & Rapeseed oil. Lasts 3 x longer than standard liquid vegetable oil. 15L.

MISSION: Looking for a vegetable oil with an ultra-long frying performance? Choose Q Plus.

Everyone’s got a favourite Q Frying Agent –

WHICH ONE’S YOURS?

Premier 1 League Champions for Over 30 Years!

Premier 1 Filtration are proud to have served so many fantastic fish and chip shops across the UK. At the National Fish and Chip Awards in the last thirty years they have had many shops & owners nominated who use their machines and/or filtration products. Last year’s overall winner Whitehead’s of Hornsea is a customer of theirs.

Steve Calvert Managing Director of Merlin Filtration said. “We were thrilled to get so many winners at the National Fish & Chip Awards. All these shops are incredible and their attention to detail is second to none. We like to think that this includes their filtration process which is where we help them to achieve the right results every time. We are proud to supply some of the best shops in the country with our products. Our products are tried and tested by many more award winners too including The Magpie, Fish‘n Chick’n, The Cod’s Scallops & Deep Blue.”

Premier1 Filtration are the major supplier of Filter Machines, Filter Papers and Filter Pads to Fish and Chip Shops, Takeaways, Restaurants, Schools and Hospitals across the UK and Europe.

They introduced the Superpad to the

industry in July 2003 giving customers a much greater level of filtration and the ability to remove the suspended particles (Cloudiness) in the oil or fat which leads to its rapid deterioration and breakdown. With over 30 years’ experience in the industry both operating shops and supplying, maintaining and repairing filtration equipment and their customer service is second to none.

Filtration is a topic that is now more important to Fryers than it has ever been in the past. Filtration is traditionally, a process designed to remove particulates. For Frying oil, the target is longer oil life and healthier product, thus cost savings and a happier customer.

Other awards winning shops who use Premier 1 Filtration products include Harlees, Lighthouse, Chesterford Group, The Fish Works ,Quayside, Millers, Frankie’s, The Bay, Petrou Brothers and Fish & Chips @ 149.

For further information visit...

Top Shops Love Oil Chef

Save up to 60% on Oil/Fat Costs!

Winners of the Best Innovation in Restaurant & Takeaway Innovation Expo in UK 2022, OilChef has recently announced its commitment to the fish and chip industry globally. As an associated member of the NFFF, OilChef has been supporting and continues to support the members with significant discounts and extended payment options.

The average chippy depends on great quality oils, potatoes, fish, labour and energy to operate on a weekly basis and OilChef is a “Game-Changer”. The innovative device helps operators to produce more food per kg of cooking fuel, save on cooking time and cooking energy and add extra value to food quality and consistency.

David Hennighan from award winning top and bottom shops Hennighan’s in Machynlleth has had OilChef now for over 8 months. “This year we have started to use Oil Chef, and it is a gamechanger. It is absolutely brilliant. There are so many benefits including substantial savings on oil (already over £1,000 this year in our Top Shop alone), a cleaner, crisper product, energy savings as we have been able to turn down our fryers by 5 degrees, plus timesaving as there is little cleaning to do. I would recommend OilChef to any shop,” He added.

OilChef is a premium brand that has created deep fryer products to help operators reduce their oil by up to 50% per month. Using FDA Approved Technology, OilChef is not a filter or a chemical. It requires no wires or power and is virtually maintenance free.

Geoff Whitehead from the UK’s No 1 Takeaway Whiteheads of Hornsea said: “When it comes to business long term thinking is essential, this includes the OilChef. We are currently using OilChef unit because of the following reasons: It helps reduce the temperature of the oil we fry at and in turn

reduces electricity/gas consumption. The oil chef significantly helps with a longer life span of your oil saving you money and time. The third contributing factor the OilChef does is it helps create a better product, it gives a lovely light crisp batter, and the chips have a light crisp outer coating.

Founded in Canada in 2023, by Eco Friendly Chef Corp, the Global awardwinning innovation is now established and operational in 32 countries.

Whether you filter oil or not, installing the OilChef device in your open pot fryer, pressure fryer or fish pan range help you save between 25% to 50% on oil, fat, dripping or shortening costs.

OilChef is a simple 3 second simple selfinstallation system that acts as a catalytic converter for your deep fryer that slows down deterioration of oil. Fry your food quicker and save money on energy in the process. OilChef is the award-winning deepfrying solution that also reduces your carbon footprint as well as creating safer, healthier, and more superior quality tasting food.

With a 14-day money back guarantee and a full 3-year warranty, OilChef is a win win!

For more information, contact us.

sales@oilchef.com

www.oilchef.com

Fish & Nicks!

Golf Champion Putting Fish & Chips on the Menu

Apparently, Sir Nick Faldo has a long-held tradition for his birthday which started in 1987 the year he first won the Open Championship! He was driving from Gleneagles to Muirfield. It was late when he arrived and the only takeaway he could find open was a fish and chip shop. So, he sat down at the bay and ate his meal. He then went on to win the tournament and has had fish and chips prior to the Championship on his birthday almost ever since.

Sir Nick Faldo, MBE is an English retired professional golfer and television commentator. A top player of his era, renowned for his dedication to the game, he was ranked No. 1 on the Official World Golf Ranking for a total of 97 weeks. His 41 professional wins include 30 victories on the European Tour and six major championships: three Open Championships (1987, 1990, 1992) and three Masters (1989, 1990, 1996).

This year the 151st Open Championship took place at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake between 20-23 July. To celebrate

his birthday and the Open Championship Sir Nick and a group of around forty people held a gathering at a house close to the course where the star of the show was of course fish and chips!

The trusted fryer hired in especially for the evening was former National Fish & Chip Shop Award Young Fish Frier of the Year, Craig Buckley. Craig has many years’ experience in the trade and was pleased to be charged with looking after Sir Nick and his guests.

Craig said:” It was a privilege to attend and fry for Sir Nick and his guests. It helps with him being a big fan of our national dish. He even had a go at frying his own supper too. As a player and great fan of golf I was so pleased to do it.”

Have you fried fish and chips for anyone famous? Email austen@chippychat.co.uk

The Shaw Thing!

Totally timeless British flavours –that’s Ben Shaws.

From humble beginnings in 1871, Ben Shaws has stood the test of time with timeless fizzy soft drinks that pair perfectly with the classic taste of Fish & Chips. Nothing beats digging into piping hot fish and chips, fresh out of

the fryer and doused in salt and vinegar, accompanied with a can of your favourite Ben Shaws flavour.

There are many things that divide the nation on Fish & Chips; Curry sauce or Gravy? Tomato Ketchup or Brown Sauce? Cod or Haddock? Scraps or No Scraps? Or it might be Dandelion & Burdock or Bitter Shandy, but rest assured it is always Ben Shaws.

Whilst some flavours come and go –the classic British flavours of Dandelion & Burdock, Bitter Shandy, Cloudy Lemonade and Cream Soda remain the most refreshing flavours to serve with your Fish & Chips.

Ben Shaws drinks are the choice of many leading fish and chip shops including Towngate Fisheries, Fish & Chips at 149 and Captain Cod in Boston.

FIZZY POP

Embrace the magic, mayhem and madness and join us on a crazy journey of flubbles to discover our whizzy fizzers of nostalgic niceness. Stock up now, as the weather gets better more of your customers will ask for the great taste of Ben Shaws

To find your local stockist visit www.benshawsdrinks.com

Instagram - @benshawsdrinks

Twitter - @benshaws_drinks

Facebook - @benshawsdrinks

The Chip Barons’ Ball is Back

Great BallsofFriers!

Once again, the Chippy Chat Ball is back and will be held at the Holiday Inn West Peterborough. With space for over 200 people, we are once again planning a great Christmas party for our industry. The date for you to save is Sunday 10th December 2023.

It will be a real grand occasion where you can catch up with all your industry friends and colleagues and also let your hair down too. Previously we have attracted many of the best fish and chip shops in the UK including lots of the award winners and runners up too.

Not only is it a Great Christmas party for you and your staff, it also has become the warmup party to the National Fish and Chip Awards!

We will have in attendance TOP farmers, friers and their staff and suppliers all under one roof!

Places for this event are already limited many people who attended before having already pre-booked.

Prices are £75 a ticket or a table of ten for £695. This includes a fantastic 3 course meal, plus a whole host of entertainment on the evening. We will have our Chippy Chat awards, a top 80’s band, plus the floor filling CC Disco to finish. Add to that the casino and fun photobooth, and this will be the Christmas party for you to attend.

We have some great sponsorship packages available too for the Ball please email austen@chippychat.co.uk.

Pervious sponsors included Seafood from Norway, Blakemans, KFE, BD Signs, PJ Lee & Sons, Isle of Ely Produce, Drywite, Friars Pride, Smales, Pukka Pies and Kerry Foods

We will also have a special rate at the hotel for staying over too which will include breakfast. Car parking & wi-fi will be FREE. Please let us know how many tickets/tables you require, and we will arrange invoicing and tickets for you and give you hotel details. Email austen@chippychat.co.uk to let us know your requirements

Chipper Chips!

There’s nothing more delicious than a portion of chips from the local chip shop. They can be long, short, fat or thin with added salt or vinegar. But, what makes the perfect chip? Popular opinion says that they should be golden brown, slightly crisp on the outside with a soft fluffy centre. This is where Frymax comes in. Whilst the choice of potato is of course important in preparing your chips, so is the frying medium.

Frymax is pure white premium palm which is additive free, contains no hydrogenated oil and less than one per cent trans fats. Fried at the right temperature, you are guaranteed the perfect chip every time you fry with Frymax and its quality does not deteriorate over time.

Frymax has been producing the perfect chip for Fryers for over sixty five years and the product has not changed at all during this time. No wonder Frymax is the Fryers favourite.

For information, advice, or customer support material please contact ADM Trading (UK) Limited.

e-mail: frymaxinfo@adm.com www.frymax.co.uk

SARSON’S SUPPORTING

FRYDAY CAMPAIGN CHIPPIES ALL YEAR LONG WITH

Starting this May and continuing all year, Sarson’s will be rallying the nation to support their local chippies as part of a UK-wide campaign which will see the UK’s number one malt vinegar brand reimburse 50 chippy meals every Friday, with one chippy scooping £1,000 cash.

Chippies getting involved with Sarson’s’ Fryday campaign can visit www.switchtosarsons.co.uk to request a free full size (20ltr) sample OR a free 12 x 300ml case of Sarson’s craft-brewed malt vinegar, alongside Sarson’s Fryday POS kits, which will help explain to customers how they can get one of 50 weekly chippy teas absolutely free! The promotion also applies to pubs and restaurants serving fish and chips.

Customers simply need to purchase their meals on a Friday, sloshing generously with Sarson’s, before uploading both a picture of their receipt and of their chippy meal next to a bottle of Sarson’s or any Sarson’s Fryday promotional material to www.sarsonsfryday.co.uk. From there, they will find out if they are one of 50 lucky people to get their meal on Sarson’s. At the end of the campaign, the chippy with the most customer entries will win a whopping £1,000! (see full Ts and Cs at www.switchtosarsons.co.uk)

Vanni Cataldi, Marketing Director at Sarson’s’ Brand Owner, Mizkan Euro, comments: “Fish and chips have been at the heart of our communities for generations, yet rising costs for both operators and consumers are beginning to bite. Put simply, we need to save our beloved chippies! If everyone in the UK visited their local just twice more per year, it could be enough to solve this issue; that’s why we’ve created the Fryday campaign. As a brand that passionately bangs the

drum for the quality fish and chip shops of Great Britain, we’re urging customers to increase their visits and operators to get involved by requesting the free POS kits to help make this happen. Together we can help turn profitable Fridays into sensational Sarson’s Frydays!”

The National Federation of Fish Friers have also thrown their support behind Sarson’s’ Fryday campaign, with President Andrew Crook saying: “Fish & Chip shops are so deeply entrenched in British culture and history, the thought of them disappearing from our high-streets and seaside towns all together is unimaginable, but given the increasing threat of closure, could soon become a bleak reality.

“From the rising cost of ingredients to the operational challenges that chippie’s face, our national dish is in danger.

“As a sector, we’re proud to see Sarson’s taking action to preserve our beloved chippies. By participating in this campaign, operators can drive footfall and profits while offering their customers free fish & chips!

“Together we can all contribute to the preservation of an industry that is an essential part of our heritage and a much-loved part of our local communities.”

Sarson’s’ Fryday campaign is underpinned by a programme of foodservice and wholesaler media activation.

Hake That! – We help

To help get kids into cooking with fish at school, the Fish from the Chippy pilot was launched in May. It has 17 secondary schools taking part, all making links with their local chippies. It aims to get local Fish and Chips shops to provide fish to local schools (which has been donated by Fastnet Fish), so that kids can prepare, cook and taste fish for themselves. The cost of ingredients is a real issue, especially at the moment with the cost-of-living crisis, so having the fish for free means that all pupils can take part and find out how simple and delicious fish is to cook.

The Fish from the Chippy pilot is brought to schools and shops through a partnership with The Fishmongers’ Company, Fastnet Fish Ltd, and the Fish in Schools Hero Programme. Chippy Chat has also been involved in supporting this initiative with schools, by helping to promote the pilot in May and introducing

the programme to The Cod’s Scallops, who are now supporting 12 local schools in the Nottinghamshire area as a direct result.

Great teamwork!

The pilot is part of a wider scheme called Fish in Schools Hero programme. It aims to ensure that every child gets a chance to prepare, cook and eat fish before they leave school and to train food teachers to be confident in preparing and cooking fish with students. The programme provides incredible life-long learning experiences for thousands of pupils across the UK.

What’s happened?

The 17 schools are now in the process of arranging to collect their 50 portions of Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) Hake. To support, the Cod’s Scallops has arranged to store much of the fish and has had teachers visit the local shops to collect. It’s been a perfect PR opportunity for

Kids get into fish!

the school and shop, with both posting on social media! As more schools collect their fish, more PR will be generated, as well as good will locally between the shop and school.

In addition, to help inspire teachers and pupils, recipe videos have been created to inspire, motivate and wet their taste buds! The first three, created by the Food Teachers Centre and the Fishmongers company, show a posh finger sandwich, hake with chorizo & chickpea stew, and paupiettes of hake with a mushroom sauce – not too shabby!

We’ve also been thrilled that John Molnar, from Cod’s Scallops, has also been creating for hake cooking videos too to support. We’re adding one each week from his kitchen - and to date to inspire kids we have hake empanadas, tacos, hake en papilotte and hake with courgettes. As many of the schools now have the

hake, we are eagerly waiting to see what they do! Teachers have let us know that they want the pupils to get creative and serve something amazing. One school has already started, making fantastic ‘posh hake fishfinger sandwiches’ - which look incredible, as well as tasty!

If the pilot is successful, Fish Heroes is keen to expand the pilot across the UK and would be looking for willing chippies to take part. Would you be interested in supporting and working with your local school? If so, get in touch with the Food Teachers Centre.

For further information please contact: info@foodteacherscentre.co.uk

The Grand National!

We ask Middleton Foods about their involvement with National Fish & Chip Day

Why did you sponsor NF&CD?

We see National Fish & Chip Day as an excellent way to support the industry and all the shops within it. In these difficult times, every shop in the country has a chance to be involved on the day and to tap into a collective promotion of all things good about the product.

What were the highlights for you?

There were lots this year as we have absolutely no doubt that 2023 was the best year so far for the day. The roadshows were amazing, the new merchandise really stood out and captured the fun part of the day, but I thought the posters inviting the shops and members of the public to get involved really helped to get the message across.

What did you do to maximise your sponsorship?

Lots of things! For Middleton Foods, the sponsorship package works both ways. It helps us to help the industry but also allows us to cement our standing as a leading manufacturer in the trade and a supporter of every business big or small. We organised our own charity frying day to support local good causes, called on shops around the country supplying posters and merchandise as well as supporting all the roadshows and frying events on the actual day. We used

our social media to give away merch packages, door opening signs and free stock as well as sponsoring the QR prize on the posters. We advertised the day on an electronic advertising banner next to the M6 motorway, pushed the day via our in-house sales team and put links to the downloadable merchandise on our website. Our sales team love the day, and everyone enjoys getting involved.

Why should other people sponsor?

The more the merrier. The reach that the day generates cannot be overemphasised for the spend that is involved. As an Industry, we have always wanted to be able to promote Nationally and National Fish & Chip Day gives us the best chance of doing that as a collective. The better the day does, then the better that is for everyone involved.

Would you sponsor again?

We already have! We can’t wait for the involvement around the 80th anniversary of D-Day…it’s going to be really special. Next year’s event will take place on Thursday 6th June 2024.

National Fish & Chip Day is a truly unique way for everyone associated and involved in the Fish and Chip Industry to come together to push everything that is so special about the trade and the dish. People love Fish and Chips, and the day gives us the chance to let the public be involved and to remind them that Fish and Chips and the people that serve them are a national treasure. Get involved and help make the day bigger and better, year on year.

We are passionate about potatoes and their potential

with how you can get involved in this special day which is likely to create a lot of publicity for the industry.

For decades Meijer Potato has been breeding only the best varieties to suit the demands of the market.

We focus on ensuring reliable fry appearance, texture and flavour to give you a premium product. Helping you to deliver the perfect chip that both looks and tastes great!

Everybody deserves to enjoy food.

We are Meijer Potato

To register an interest please email austen@chippychat.co.uk or www.fishfriersreview.co.uk/d-day-80 watch out for more details from the NFFF. NEW!

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Legendry!

90 Years of Drywite 1933 - 2023:

This year Drywite Limited is celebrating its 90th anniversary, having evolved from the Pioneer Potato Company Ltd, which was incorporated on 20th July 1933 by Harold G Lee, when his fourteen-year-old son Malcolm had had the inspired idea of supplying ready peeled potatoes to caterers and housewives in his local area of Smethwick and West Bromwich.

To overcome the problem of their peeled potatoes turning brown when kept out of water, Malcolm enrolled on a chemistry course and with the help of his lecturer, he and his father formulated their own preservative, which allowed them to pack dry potatoes in paper bags. However, these dry and white potatoes soon caught the attention of a local fish frier who asked if he could buy some of this wonderful product in order to treat his own potatoes. Word quickly spread amongst the local Fish Frying community, and it caused such interest that by 1935, Malcolm and his father realised they could make more money selling their preservative than their peeled potatoes. So, the decision was made to patent their preservative as Drywite Potato Preparation and change the name of the company to Drywite Limited.

In 1939 Harold Lee purchased larger industrial premises in the Hill Top area of West Bromwich, and although World War Two curtailed growth, with the end of hostilities, Harold and Malcolm wasted no time in getting Drywite Limited back up and running. Now able to invest in product development and look for new markets, the famous glass salt and vinegar pots were introduced and Drywite became the main supplier of Wirax Wirewares to fish frier distributors. In the early 1950’s Malcolm travelled to Los Angeles in Southern California to establish the Drywite Corporation of America, which for ten years or so, manufactured Drywite Potato Preparation under licence for the North American market. Malcolm Lee also took an interest in the development of plastics, recognising a market within

the Fish Frying Industry for products such as trays, buckets and potato dipping tanks made from this revolutionary new material.

In 1960 Malcolm’s eldest daughter Briar joined the company and it moved to its current premises in Park Lane Halesowen, then in 1972 Malcolm’s son Kelvin joined the business. In 1988 at the age of 70, Malcolm retired as Managing Director but continued as Chairman, Kelvin then took over the role of Managing Director and Briar became Sales Director. When Malcolm Lee died in 1993, Kelvin and Briar established the Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year competition in his memory, presenting the Malcolm Lee Trophy each year since 1995 to the best under 25-year-old fish frier in the country. Malcolm Lee had a passion for the Fish Frying Industry, and he also strived to encourage and support young people in business. He recognised the need to promote Fish & Chips amongst the young, not only to get more young people involved in the trade, but to also prove that by achieving higher standards of quality, Fish & Chips can compete with the best food establishments in the UK providing a highly rewarding and lucrative long-term career. The Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year Award became recognised as one of the top Fish & Chip Industry awards in the UK, however, due to Covid and Seafish withdrawing support, the competition has missed three years. We are now very pleased to announce that it is now back, and we look forward to presenting a new DYFFY winner with the Malcolm Lee trophy in 2024. www.drywite.co.uk

Since 1933

PROUDLY SUPPLYING THE FISH FRYING INDUSTRY FOR 90 YEARS

View our complete product range at

drywite.co.uk

Carlsberg Don’t Make

In this month’s Chip Shop Abroad we feature a shop that I have seen on at least three occasions myself in Alesund, Norway. They claim to provide “Probably the Best Fish & Chips in the World.”

By Austen Dack

It started with a dream for the sisters Birgitte and Monica. A dream of starting their own business from which they could sell fish & chips. And the dream developed into what is known as the Brokiosken at Hellebroa, Alesund.

Birgitte Kløvning and her sister Monica took over the operation of Brokiosken in 1999, after starting their career with a “fishan cart” they started with in 1996. “fishan” is still an important part of the menu.

It so happened that in 1996 there was no one left in the city who sold fish & chips, or “fishan” in the city. That’s why we got a wagon and started what was to become something we did on Saturdays, because we both went to school. But it developed into much more than just a Saturday job, says Birgitte, who together with her sister Monica owns the company.

“The new dream is a boat, at least the shape of a boat. And with a lookout point at the top and a fast-food menu that oozes

Ålesund. Here are the plans. It’s a simple sketch we’ve had drawn up, but yes, my wish is a place with better space, shaped like a boat where people can walk on the roof and get a great view of the strait, she says, leafing through the folder. As I said, these are sketches, and yes, I am very aware that such a change would create a fierce debate in Ålesund.”

But you want more space?

“Yes, because I want to serve more local seafood, a bit more typically Ålesund, so to speak. It will still be a fast-food restaurant, but we will be in the top tier. First class. But we’ll see. It is allowed to dream and have plans”, says Birgitte and pats the folder again.

What would you say is your place in the centre?

“Well, what can one say. Can I first mention that it is stupid not to have parking nearby, and that it can be very windy here. But it’s

Fish & Chips

a perfect place for, among other things, opening at night and in the evening, because then we’re right in the middle of Smørøyet.

And we thrive in the centre of Ålesund, and the location is vitally important no matter what you drive. And we are very well situated, although I would like to do something about both the parking facilities and the wind that comes in between. But it’s not impossible, she says.”

You are part of a chain. How is it?

“It means a lot, and we were among the very first to join the Jafs chain.It is a small and pleasant chain where we have been involved for 16 years now. They have good campaigns that we and the customers enjoy. Everything in its time, and in Ålesund we know where the bridge is, and thus also the Brokiosken.”

The irony is each time I have visited it has been with ten of the best chip shop owners from the UK. We have always had our picture taken in front of their boastful sign. One reviewer however was more than happy with their food and service.

“Prior to visiting Ålesund, I was scoping this place out for my one of my dinner plans during my visit because I just love fish and chips and I was really excited to see that this fish n’ chip shack was super close to the hotel I was staying at.

I ordered a medium size fish and chips (comes with 2 pieces of fish) with the garlic aioli sauce (separate charge) and my mum ordered their chicken nuggets which came with chips and a salad. They also sell burgers, ice cream, and frosty chocolate milkshakes, but I didn’t go for any of that stuff because I just wanted to try their secret fishy family recipe. The food took

a while to prepare, so get ready to wait especially if there’s a lot of customers in line, but they make everything fresh to order, so I can’t complain!

The fish was very soft and flaky while the fried outer batter shell was very crisp and flavourful. The fish was great and I would totally recommend it, definitely a unique flavor unlike any fried fish I’d had before! The chips on the other hand, were a little on the dryer side, and not to my liking, but nonetheless, they were still good, especially when you drown and soak them in the generous pool of rich garlic aioli sauce. Overall, if I ever came back to visit Ålesund in the future, JaFs would definitely be on my list of places to have another bite.”

Is it the best in the world, probably not, but the fresh fish is lovely, the batter crisp with my only criticism being the chips which were French fries!

Good as Golden Union try Babylon!

By Austen Dack

Isle of Ely Produce & Chippy Chat have been promoting a Chip Ambassador role to promote the great British Chip in association with Agrico. The aim will be to carry on the good work promoting chipping potatoes at their hugely successful open days, and through the ‘Field to Frier’ gong at the National Fish & Chip Awards, which this year was won by The Real Food Café, Tyndrum.

2024 N

The Chip Ambassadors have become part of an UK wide group of shop owners and fryers who will promote best practice for potato buying, storing, and of course frying. The chain will also include key growers too like PJ Lee & Sons, and A. L. Lee Farming Company, as IOE looks to nurture the relationships they have grown across the whole supply chain during the last twenty years.

Agrico have partnered with Isle of Ely Produce to bring new varieties into the trade initially via our Chip Ambassadors. The first one Babylon has been sampled at some of these ambassadors to back up the results of the trial successes.

The latest to try them was Golden Union who are based in Poland Street, London. I recently visited with Sav Martignetti from Friars Pride, to try their famous fish & chips.

They have been serving real British comfort food in the heart of Soho, since 2008. They’ve served well over 1.5 million customers, many of which come back time and time again for exceptional food, friendly service and value for money.

The menu centres around fish & chips, which are cooked to order to ensure a perfect meal every single time. They take particular pride in

Golden!

the fact that all fish served at Golden Union is responsibility sourced from very well managed and sustainable waters. They also monitor their potatoes on a weekly basis too. Co-Owner Kerry Brennan said: “We pride ourselves in serving some of the best fish & chips in London. We source the best potato varieties available to us at any given time, to make sure we continue to offer the best we can. It is good to try Babylon and we are excited to add them to the list of potatoes we can choose from. They were very clean, fried well, and tasted fantastic too.”

We have been involved with many great shops in the last few months trialling Babylon. The overwhelming result of all of this testing is Babylon as a variety is looking like a star of the future. We have also done some shows & events too meaning the public trying Babylon on mass too. Again, the results were fantastic Oliver Boutwood Isle of Ely Director says. “It’s good to hear so many shops like the all-round good characteristics of Babylon. We are pleased with this partnership between Agrico IOE and chip shop owners.”

Alex Moore, Agrico UK Sales Manager said: “We are thrilled to be working closely with Isle of Ely Produce & the Chip Ambassadors to launch two exciting new varieties. As a business we are always trying to breed better tasting and more sustainable potato varieties.”

Chip shop owners already signed as Chip Ambassadors for Isle of Ely Produce include, Kerry Brennan – Golden Union, David Henley – Henley’s, Richard Ord Jr

– Colmans, Eric Snaith – Eric’s, Kelly & Tim Barnes – Krispies, Lauren Kellaway – Kellaways, Fred Capel- Chez Fred, Malachy Mallon The Dolphin Takeaway, Emir Hikary – Hiks, Alan Shillingford –Shillingfords, Gregg Howard The Chip Shed, Ian Wallis Henry’s Hunstanton, John Hudgell Pimp my Fish, The Petrou Brothers, Marcus French, Millers, Haxby, Grosvenor Norwich and Sarah Heward –The Real Food Café and more. We will be featuring more reviews in the coming months, and at the Isle of Ely Open Day, where you can try them for yourselves. Email austen@chippychat. co.uk if you would like to try them and/and or become one of our chip ambassadors.

FREE OPEN DAY

Anthony Swift (Liverpool)

Potatoes

Predicting Potato Prices for 2023/24!

By Austen Dack

Potato prices have been rising recently and leaving many chip shops facing even more unbudgeted rising costs. However, this seasons prices and indeed state of the crop were predicted by a leading merchant and producer Isle of Ely Produce in September 2022 at their annual FREE chip shop owners open day.

Isle of Ely Produce Director Oliver Boutwood said: “Last year we had a perfect storm during the growing season. First off, we had a near drought causing the potatoes to stop growing and therefore producing smaller potatoes not usually conducive for chipping potatoes, and also a smaller yield. Then we had a few weeks of heavy rain, which didn’t help. Similar conditions across Europe led to Europe wide potato shortages meant that other markets such as crisping would be stretched too, leading to an even bigger shortage.”

Oliver actually predicted at the chip shop owners open day that bags could reach £20 in the spring of 23, and to budget for these increases across the season. It is also worth noting that potatoes up to year end of 2022 were actually selling for less than the cost to plant, grow, harvest and transport, leading to some farmers changing crop.

Isle of Ely Produce are once again opening their doors to chip shop owners and managers on Sunday September 10th, 2023! It is one of the FREE industry events of the year. The event starts at 9.30 am at their farm in Ely, Cambridgeshire with a coffee

FOR CHIP SHOP OWNERS & MANAGERS

and a chance to talk to industry colleagues. It is invaluable, not only will chip shop owners and staff find out first-hand how the potato crop is faring for 2023/24, but they also get an idea about predicted cost and quality of the crop for the year ahead too. It also showcases the role they play in the National Fish & Chip Awards with their From Field to Frier category.

Add to that lots of key suppliers will be attending/ sponsoring on the day too. In 2022 they included Pukka Pies, Middleton Foods, Premier 1 Filtration, TQuality, Drywite, Friars Pride, Preoday (Qikserve), Agrico, McWhinney, Seafood from Norway, BD Signs, Meijer Potato UK, Panaepos, Smales, PJ Lee & Sons, HZPC, JFK, Farm Electronics, Blakemans, Frymax & more.

You will also watch presentations on their giant AV, with full staging, from award winning fish and chip shop owners, giving you valuable advice for your shop(s). Guest speakers for the 2023 event already include NFFF President Andrew Crook, Sarah Heward from the Real Food Café, Calum Richardson from the Bay Stonehaven plus National Fish & Chip Takeaway of the Year winner Geoff Whitehead from Hornsea.

Please email austen@chippychat.co.uk if you would like to attend. Entrance is FREE The event is suitable for all levels of management and also young friers too. Maximum of 3 tickets per shop. FREE refreshments will also be served. You can also order your tickets at www.eventbrite. co.uk, and search for Isle of Ely Produce

Our Sponsors

Blakemans honour their founder and chairman

The sad news of James Blakemans’ passing has seen countless messages of condolence and memories pour in from far and wide.

Mr James Thomas Blakeman M.Inst.M passed peacefully at his home at the grand age of 93. Having recently celebrated his businesses’ 70th anniversary, James was still paying regular visits to the factory. His loss has been felt by Phil, Sue, their families and everyone on site, who dearly miss him; his gentlemanly demeanour, his wisdom and his humour. By any definition, he was a towering figure in his industry, a man who commanded respect and admiration and someone who could hold the attention of anyone with stories of a life well lived; his time serving in the RAF during World War 2 and playing football with Luton town against Sir Stanley Matthews being amongst his favourites to reminisce upon.

James spent a short time as a manufacturing supervisor with a pork butcher in Leek, Staffordshire, learning the ropes and becoming a master butcher. In 1953 he decided to start his own enterprise, a mobile refreshment bar with his brother-in-law, whilst simultaneously working as a freelance sausage meat manufacturer. His tireless work ethic, ethos for producing quality products and charisma enabled him to establish his fledgling business.

Production of the Blakemans sausage that we all know and love started in earnest in 1955 after his marriage to Ann. The couple bought a farm in Caverswall near Stoke-on-Trent, converting the cow sheds and stables into a small production unit for the manufacture

of sausage. Through the years, Jim and Ann grew their company, boosted in the 70’s with the creation of the chip shop sausage. The fish shortages of the cod wars inspired Jim to create a sausage that could be deep fried. It took him and a synthetic skin supplier 2 years of trial and error to master it, but his tenacity brought us the Supreme sausage which is still a market leading catering sausage today.

The turn of the millennium saw James step into his role as chairman, handing over the daily running of the business to his children, Phil and Sue. He often mentioned how proud he was of them, their successes and how they upheld his core values in business.

The Blakeman business and its 300 plus employees owes James a debt of gratitude for the foundations that he laid, his dedication, hard work and integrity leading them to the thriving enterprise that they operate today 70 years on.

A beautiful service was held in celebration of James’ life on the 12th July which saw him visit his factory one last time, his cortege guided by his beloved lorries. In addition to his entire workforce lining the yard to say their goodbyes, neighbouring businesses downed tools to line the street and pay their respects in a fitting tribute to the life of a much admired, self-made man.

If you’d like to learn more about James. T. Blakeman and his family business then please visit Blakemans.co.uk.